The 19th century was full of innovation, exploration and is one of the most popular eras for writing historical fiction. This blog is dedicated to tiny tidbits of information that will help make your novel seem more real to the time period.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Celery

In 1860 Theophilus Roessie and Henry Steel Olcott wrote a small book called "How to Cultivate and Perserve Celery."
In the preface we find this interesting tidbit:
"So with celery. In its wild state, in which it is found in ditches throughout Europe, it is rank, coarse, and even poisonous, but by cultivation it becomes crisp, sweet, juicy, and of an agreeable flavor."

Not being a gardner I found it interesting that there was/is varieties in celery, including Summer and Winter varieties.

SUMMER CELERY.
VARIETIES.
After an experience of many years, with a great number of varieties of celery, I have narrowed my list to the following few kinds which I recommend as most profitable for general cultivation:
No. 1. Early White Solid.
No. 2. Joint do
No. 3. New Silver Leaf.
No. 4. Red Solid, or Rose-colored.
No. 5. Celeriac—or Turnip-rooted.
The varieties 1, 2, and 4 are best. I recommend number 1 for an early, and number 2 for the main crop. There are doubtless other kinds which under peculiar circumstances are valuable, but none I think which in every respect are so valuable, both to the market-gardener and the private cultivator, as those above mentioned.

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About Me

I'm a novelist writing contemporary and historical settings. During my research for historical novels, I've come across various historical tidbits. What you see on this blog are some of those interesting facts from the 19th century.
My hobbies are genealogy, photography, camping and building small travel trailers with hubby.